Meanwhile with McKiever : Combo of motivation and talent leads to rewards
Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006
Mary Kay Ash founded her cosmetics company in 1963 with only $ 5, 000, nine independent beauty consultants and a 500 sq. ft. store in Dallas. Last week, Mary Kay Inc. concluded its annual sales seminar in Big D. They had a $ 2. 2 billion sales year.
Since 1969, the company has awarded thousands of special Cadillacs to its top sales people. Apparently, years ago, Mary Kay ordered a Cadillac for herself and told the car dealership she wanted it the same color as her compact — pink. Her vehicle was such a hit with her sales force, she began an incentive program for them with a pink Caddy as the big prize. Nowadays Mary Kay salespeople can earn three cars.
Red Pontiac Vibes are entrylevel awards. Silver Pontiac Grand Prixs are the middle prize and the pink Cadillacs are the top awards. About 2, 000 women drive Cadillacs and 10, 000 more have received Pontiacs. A sales director and her team must sell at least $ 96, 000 in cosmetics in a sixmonth period for the director to qualify for the top award. Directors start out as salespeople and work their way up.
I think the women driving the “ Mary Kay pinks” must have something in common: A combination of motivation and talent. I read the other day that motivation is what we like to do naturally and talent is what we do well naturally. They can be independent, but when they’re combined, they are a powerful force. For example, Susie has a motivated talent for conversation. It’s fun for her and she likes to engage friends and strangers in conversation. She’s a natural to sell Mary Kay cosmetics or any other product. She likes it and she’s good at it.
The suits at General Motors go out of their way to keep the cosmetic company happy. Mary Kay Ash died in 2001, but the symbol she made famous, the pink Cadillac, is more popular than ever. According to a GM spokesman, the pink paint is only available to Mary Kay Inc. The Cadillacs are not white sedans with a couple of coats of pink applied. GM and Mary Kay together developed the pale pink pearl shade the cars wear today.
The companies, GM and Mary Kay, have an agreement regarding what happens when the pink cars are traded in. Before they can be sold, they must be repainted.
Whether it’s a top prize you’re after or just the wonderful feeling of doing what you were meant to do, remember that your chances are greatest when you combine motivation (what you like naturally ) and talent (what you do naturally. )
“ Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember you can achieve. ” — Mary Kay Ash
• • • Tonya McKiever is a reporter for The Benton County Daily Record. Her column appears on Sundays.
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